2010 BMW M6
- Used BMW M6
BMW M6 - What the Auto Press Says
The 2010 BMW M6 is lavish and unassuming, while monstrous and intimidating. Few vehicles can compete with this top-of-the-line Bimmer.
Model Overview
The M6 is a performance-tuned variant of the BMW 6-Series -- which earns praise for its powerful 360-horsepower engine, elegant exterior design and exquisitely finished interior cabin.
Equipped with an additional 140 horses, as well as enhanced performance engineering, the M6 is a wolf in sheep's clothing. It looks the part of a large, luxurious coupe, but is a much more aggressive machine. "The 6 Series-based 2010 BMW M6 deserves to be more of an automotive icon than it is," writes Edmunds. "Just look at its resume: zero to 60 mph in well under 5 seconds, stellar handling and braking, daily-driver ride quality, coupe and convertible body styles and a phenomenal race-bred V10 that belongs in any conversation about the top engines in the world."
Still, the M6 is not perfect -- as its seven-speed SMG transmission and lack of communicative steering leave many test drivers disappointed. BMW, however, offers a six-speed manual transmission that more than makes up for the seven-speed's faults. The M6's lack of steering feel, however, remains. As such, interested shoppers should be sure to take it on several test drives before signing on the dotted line to make sure that it's the right car for them.
With the exception of an upgraded BMW iDrive system -- which supposedly makes it easier to use than last year's model, the M6 carries into the 2010 model year unchanged. The M6 is available in both coupe and convertible body styles.
- "If you want a complex sports car that can perform on a racetrack or the highway, has all the creature comforts one could want and looks gorgeous, the...BMW M6 is it." -- Kelley Blue Book
- "The BMW M6 is, essentially, in a class by itself. What other manufacturer makes a car that is, all at once, a rip-snorting, 500-horsepower, V-10-powered coupe/convertible with other-worldly handling, yet demonstrates a gentlemanly degree of civility and sophistication that only the most refined luxury grand touring machines in the market today can offer? It's the automotive equivalent of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." -- Road and Track
- "The M6 is a tech-intensive wonder with a high-revving V-10, a sequential manual gearbox, and a carbon-fiber roof. It's an incredibly fast coupe, but the sequential gearbox is dim-witted and the car is not as satisfying to drive as a Porsche 911 or even BMW's own M3." -- Car and Driver
- "Why you would buy it: Because a 500 horsepower V-10-powered 'bahn burner that fits like a custom-tailored suit is your idea of great fun. And, hey, if you're a Wall Street CEO feeling flush with $700 billion in your back pocket, you have to spend that government bailout somewhere!" -- Left Lane News
The Bottom Line
Few super luxury sports cars have performance-tuned trims that can compete with the M6's overall package. Offering 18 more horsepower, but roughly the same performance figures, the Mercedes-Benz CL63 AMG is probably its closest competitor. However, the CL63 AMG costs nearly $40K more.
Car shoppers comparing the BMW M6 to the M5 should note that the 6 costs roughly $16K more, but features much of the same performance components and figures. So, unless you're basing your purchase decision on factors other than performance, you're better off saving that cash and springing for the M5 instead -- unless, of course, you want a convertible.
Performance Dynamics
The BMW M6 shares most of its performance components with the less-expensive M5. Not surprisingly, test drivers complain of the same performance issues -- namely a jerky seven-speed transmission and a lack of steering feel. Otherwise, critics love the way the M6 blasts to mind-numbing speeds.
The BMW M6 comes equipped with a 5.0-liter V10 engine that produces 500 horsepower at 7,750 rpm and 383 pound-feet of torque at 6,100 rpm. While a seven-speed Sequential Manual Gearbox (SMG) with drivelogic and paddle shifters is standard, a six-speed manual transmission is available at no extra cost. According to BMW, the M6 can reach 155 mph and accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds in the coupe and 4.6 seconds in the convertible. The EPA reports that the BMW M6 nets a city/highway fuel economy of 11/17 mpg.
Aiding performance for the rear-wheel-drive M6 is a vehicle-speed-sensitive variable-assist power steering, dubbed M Servotronic. This steering set-up features M Driving Dynamics Control, which allows drivers to choose between two settings -- Throttle and Steering. Moreover, the M6 features an independent suspension system. Electronic Damping Control allows drivers to configure the vehicle's suspension settings to Comfort, Normal, or Sport mode. Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) with M Dynamic Mode (MDM) helps the M6 maintain road composure, while an anti-lock brake system (ABS) and Brake Assist bring it to a halt.
- "The M6 is powered by a 5.0-liter V-10. The engine can rev as high as 8,250 rpm. At start-up, the engine produces a 'comfort-oriented' 400 hp, which is more suitable for urban traffic. A button on the selector-lever cover increases output to the M6's top rating." -- Cars.com
- "But does it go? With a full-tilt-boogie list price of $111,320, it damn well ought to. And truth be told, with five liters of Formula 1-inspired power under the hood, it does." -- Left Lane News
- "Quick steering, strong brakes, powerful engine, but the sequential gearbox is a letdown. Good thing there's a conventional six-speed manual." -- Car and Driver
- "[W]e've repeatedly slapped the M6 with two performance-related demerits: The steering feel falls short of BMW's customary high standards, and the lurch-prone SMG single-clutch automated manual is well behind these dual-clutch times. However, you can get a conventional six-speed manual if you want, which fixes the SMG situation, and the rest of the M6 is so entertaining that the subpar steering is hardly a deal-breaker." -- Edmunds
- "This is a seriously fast, high-performance sports coupe with capabilities that will prove to be far beyond the skill levels of almost all its owners and drivers, and it should, therefore, be treated with respect. That said, it is actually easy to drive within reasonable limits, feels grounded and secure, responds with finesse and corners with only minimal body roll." -- Kelley Blue Book
- "These cars are too large and heavy to be sports-car agile--even the handling-biased M6s--but they're balanced and assured on highways and byways. Active Steering sharpens low-speed moves, but some testers find it intrusive. Active Roll Stabilization quells most body lean in fast turns. Braking is strong, stable, and straight." -- Consumer Guide
